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Part 1:


Ryanair – A Guide for Prospective Pilot Employees



This document has been compiled from information obtained from a substantial number of Ryanair pilots at different Ryanair bases. All the examples, quotations and information contained in this document are believed to be accurate; however, if corrections are suggested or contrary information is available we will be pleased to incorporate this by making suitable modifications, deletions or qualifying statements. You can submit comments and observations by e-mail to [email protected]


Introduction

In 2004 the REPA (Ryanair European Pilots Association) website was established to give a “voice” to Ryanair pilots and to provide a forum giving anonymity to its members in order that they can communicate freely with each other without fear of repercussions. The formation of the REPA site was made necessary by the strongly anti-collective representation / anti-union stance of Ryanair management. There is little doubt that many Ryanair pilots fear the consequence of being identified by management if they engage in any form of collective discourse or action.

REPA is neither neutral in respect of the matter of representation for professional pilots, nor do we condone in any way some of the activities and dispositions for which Ryanair has become well known. That being said, Ryanair has a number of very positive employment aspects and, as has been frequently said, by and large Ryanair pilots are proud of their company and they certainly wish to see it continue to prosper and develop commercially. REPA shares this desire and agrees with those REPA members who point out that with appropriate changes to personnel policies it could rapidly become a fine organisation. What follows should be read in the light of these remarks.

At the end of the discussion we have provided some additional information taken from surveys on the REPA site, feedback from Ryanair pilots, etc. as well as a general checklist of items to verify before committing to employment with Ryanair.

This is a relatively long document as the Ryanair employment environment for pilots can be complex and difficult to understand. It certainly is different from any expectations based on general airline experience. We believe that we should provide as wide a range of information as possible in order to give readers the opportunity to fully inform themselves. It was written as a result of the many e-mails from prospective Ryanair pilots - and to which we have so far been unable to reply in sufficient depth.

Ryanair – A Successful Low Cost Carrier

Ryanair is a highly successful low cost carrier. It has enjoyed strong growth in its route structure and in the employment of pilots and other staff. It continues to make substantial profits and to achieve ambitious growth targets. Ryanair operates over 220 routes across almost 20 European countries from more than14 European bases. It plans many more bases in the future and has the stated ambition to become the largest airline in Europe. It certainly is not beyond the bounds of possibility that Ryanair will be successful in achieving this objective.

There are no overnight stops and the roster, which is split into “earlies” and “lates”, is notably stable for most pilots. This is widely perceived to be a particular advantage of working for Ryanair. Ryanair pilots work hard, in terms of hours achieved per annum. It is normal to fly up to the annual maximum limit of 900 flight hours, sometimes in less than a calendar year. While average Ryanair pay is not as high as Ryanair claims, the reality is that the high number of hours and sectors flown generate sufficient “sector payments” to ensure that pay is higher than the norm for the low cost airline sector.

Ryanair repeatedly claims that its pilots are the best paid in Europe. On any normal basis of calculation this claim is completely misleading. Ryanair make up for this deficiency by repeating their claim loudly and frequently. However, if one talks in terms of take home pay and the low cost carrier sector, Ryanair pay for many pilots - but by no means all – is above average. Nonetheless, for specific minorities in the Ryanair pilot group pay is well below the industry average. In essence high cash payments hide the absence of benefits, such as pension provisions, as well as the impact of various deductions for items which most airlines provide as a matter of course (Identity Cards, uniforms, etc). In addition there are unresolved questions over social security payments and the entitlements, for example, of pilots in some bases to full health care benefits.

The Ryanair Pilot Population

The pilot population in Ryanair is mixed and varied. In general it is a “young” company and it boasts pilots of many different nationalities and cultures. Pilots are moved into and out of bases quite regularly, for various reasons. With the significant exceptions of Stansted and Dublin most bases tend to have around 30-40 pilots and the further they are away from Dublin the more harmonious things seem to be. Stansted, the largest single base, has a highly fragmented pilot population. This is partly due to concerns about discussing things with colleagues (which is fuelled by the assertive management style), partly due to cultural/language differences and just partly due to size. It would be true to say that mutual pilot solidarity and support have not been the norm in Stansted. In addition there are a relatively high number of “contractor” pilots in Ryanair, a large number of whom are employed in Stansted. Contractors are a significant, and constantly changing, part of the Ryanair pilot workforce; they serve a multitude of purposes for Ryanair and while their pay varies, they are often by far the best paid Ryanair pilots.

Judging from surveys on the REPA site and other information (see below) the vast majority of Ryanair pilots view Ryanair as an “airline of transition”. In the long run this perception is very unlikely to be accurate for a large percentage of Ryanair pilots. While most Ryanair pilots seem to believe that they will “move on to a better airline in the near future”, few seem to appreciate that what the very things they wish to escape from are increasingly becoming the norm elsewhere as Ryanair practices are adopted by other carriers. Furthermore, it is simply a fact that not everybody can expect to move on from an airline of Ryanair’s size.

This “moving on” orientation seems to be shared by Ryanair. It is believed that Ryanair management would prefer pilots who would join as a young cadet, fly hard, be promoted early and then leave after around ten years employment. This appears to reflect the strong under-current of ideology to be found in all of Ryanair’s dealing with its staff and customers as well as their desire to avoid any long-term or social commitments, such as pensions, in respect of their employees. The underlying model seems to be one of an almost purely market driven employee population in which “contractors” play a stabilising and controlling role. Ryanair strongly prefers to treat its pilots as individual employees rather than as a collective body (which they refer to as “direct negotiation”). As has been comprehensively demonstrated, such an approach to pilot management has considerable advantages for Ryanair.

Employment Contracts, Commercial Assertiveness and Public Relations

Ultimately this “direct negotiation” invariably means that each person must look after their own interests and one undoubted consequence is that individual employment terms for pilots in Ryanair can vary very widely. Their Terms and Conditions depend upon a range of factors, including personal negotiating skills, the market at the time of employment, the base involved, the level of determination by each pilot to ensure that his or her contract is honoured, and so forth.

It follows that there is no such thing as a common contract of employment in Ryanair, though in recent years certain common aspects can be identified. The absence of a common contract of employment, published pay scales, clear Terms and Conditions, a published seniority list - and so forth - leads to many complications and makes it difficult to make definitive statements about, for example, how much pilots are paid, what their entitlements are and so on. For every claim, a counter-example can invariably be found.

Ryanair is known for its assertiveness towards customers, suppliers and various websites set up by those unhappy with their experience with Ryanair. Ryanair has been quick to escalate their use of the law in what appears to be an attempt to intimidate the faint of heart, even where the Ryanair position is weak, or just unreasonable. The case of Ryanair’s 1,000,000th passenger provides an excellent example of a case sustained well beyond the point where it was sustainable, fair or even sensible. However, Ryanair has apparently concluded that such assertiveness works well in dissuading employees and others from taking action to seek redress for their problems.

Judgments vary regarding the assertiveness and drive for which Ryanair is well known. In the eyes of some it is a mark of an innovative and driving business, as well as the key to its commercial success. In the eyes of others the same corporate orientation can be described as intimidating and bullying towards those who stand in its way, whether they are passengers, airport authorities, governments or employees. Nonetheless, corporate assertiveness is often sustained to the point where it damages Ryanair itself. The organisation is not noted for its sympathy towards those who are disadvantaged in any way, whether passengers or employees.

Ryanair claims to be an equal opportunities employer, but employs a low percentage of female pilots and the numbers are out of line with the industry norm.

Ryanair has a very outgoing Public Relations presence and never fails to hammer home its key messages at every opportunity. They exaggerate the positives and never mention the negatives, except to “spin” them to Ryanair’s advantage. The airline is consistently “on message”. The airline is clever in its use of the English language and has frequently been accused of making misleading, if literally true statements. For example, the statement “Our share option scheme has seen returns of €230,000 in 5 years for existing pilots” does not mean, for example, “our existing pilots have received free share options, which can now be realised for €230,000”. Similarly, the figures used to “prove” that Ryanair pilots are the “best paid in Europe” depend upon a questionable use of statistics and only seem to be believed by Ryanair, the press (and even some of its pilot employees).

Central to the functioning of Ryanair is the Chief Executive, Mr. Michael O’Leary, who is increasingly seen as a controversial leader.

Ryanair – A Controversial Employer

There are a lot of rumours and stories about how Ryanair treats its employees and any regular reader of PPRuNe (www.pprune.org) will be familiar with Ryanair’s highly controversial profile. These rumours are sometimes untrue, but most appear to have a basis in fact. As with most rumours, there is a tendency for a bit of exaggeration to be added with each retelling and caution is appropriate. Nonetheless, many of these rumours and stories convey enough information to suggest that caution and some research is indeed merited before signing up for employment with Ryanair. More importantly, they provide guidance as to what you should do before you commit to joining Ryanair, or before signing any document which contains potential financial penalties, such as a training bond. (It should also be mentioned that some prospective pilot employees have believed that what is said, for example on PPRuNe, “must be exaggerated” and only discovered afterwards that they should have listen more carefully to the warnings about certain Ryanair practices).

“Direct Dealing” and Ryanair Employees

Few would disagree that Ryanair is led by a forceful Chief Executive who is well known for his unconventional dress, style of management and use of colourful language. The company is aggressively anti-union and views any collective action in a very poor light, even if no union is involved. Ryanair claims that it prefers “to deal directly with its pilots”. However the consequences and realities of this “direct dealing” are also controversial. The results of “direct dealing” are a frequent subject of discussion on the REPA site and elsewhere.

The statement “we prefer to deal directly with our pilots” is not only a statement of opposition to collective action of any kind, but also a manifestation of the airline’s desire to “deal” with employees on a “one to one” basis. Quite what that means is discussed below.

The absence of unambiguous and reliable information presents everyone with problems in discussing Ryanair pilot employment. In an application to the Irish Labour Court in 2004, the Court was asked for a ruling that Ryanair must provide its pilots with copies of their contracts of employment. (Ryanair states that such claims are nonsense as their pilot employees know their terms and conditions of employment). Among the applicants were several pilots who have been with Ryanair for around twenty years.

Not only are there multiple different written contracts, but these have often been modified arbitrarily by new management decisions, or even changed simply by issuing a memo. By way of example, one recent memo simply announced that certain pilot contracts contained an “error” and declared the relevant clause inoperative – but without any discussion or prior notice.

Some unilateral changes made to pilot contracts are arguably illegal, apart from anything else, but it is interesting to note that such changes are rarely legally challenged by Ryanair pilots. This, we believe, is a telling observation simply because it raises the obvious question “why not?”. It also raises the issue of how employees in such an employment environment can hope to protect their interests, even to the extent of ensuring that what is said in their contract has any meaning.

Ryanair pilots talking to REPA, BALPA and IALPA are unanimous in agreeing the reason for the lack of a direct legal challenge, even where legal advice suggests a case would be successful. Quite simply, it is the fear of being subsequently targeted by management as a “trouble-maker”. Ryanair “enjoys” the reputation of being a company which never forgets such behaviour, even where it involves seeking a contractual entitlement. An additional consideration is that Ryanair has the reputation – with a lot of supporting evidence – of being willing to escalate legal action (and costs) in the hope of encouraging the plaintiff to withdraw (or never to start) legal action. The evidence suggests that most employees have absorbed this lesson.

The effects and consequences of this state of affairs can be far reaching. Thus, while some pilots report no problems, other report that it is important in certain circumstances to “curry favour” if certain career advances are to be achieved. It is equally important to emphasise that in some Ryanair bases there is no evidence whatsoever of such practices.

Some things that make Ryanair Different

One issue which is frequently mentioned are pay deductions for items that would be considered by most employees to be included as part of their employment. These include items such as car parking at work, uniforms, identity cards, water on board, medicals and so forth (buying and consuming water provided on board the aircraft is, according to one Ryanair memo, a dismissible offence). In general, Ryanair holds that it is the responsibility of pilots to pay for all the equipment essential to the discharge of his or her duties, often including the cost of a type rating. In the case of uniform charges, this is a permanent monthly charge until employment ends. Depending upon the state of the pilot market at the time of employment - or upgrade - training bonds have varied considerably. Some pilots have had no bond, while some have even signed up for a substantial five-year non-reducing bond.

Others have been contractually obliged to join on the basis of a substantial B737-200 bond, only to be asked for a new 737-800 bond (or payment in advance) within three years. These commitments may total in excess of €40,000, a figure which might exclude accommodation and allied expenses approximating to another €12-15,000). Some pilots joining later than this group of pilots did not have to pay anything for their B737-800 rating. Pilots have reported to REPA that, having taken out loans of these magnitudes to cover paying for a type rating - which was a condition for his employment - they subsequently found themselves in difficulties because of the slowness and irregularity of line training. When finally line qualified, there was a shortage of flying sectors because of the training requirements of others and further borrowings became necessary.

While it is not clear how widespread the practice is, an increasing number of new or junior pilots throughout 2005 reported difficulties in obtaining entitlements outlined in their contract. When they query this they are told that there was an error in their contract. Typical issues involving claims of an “error in your contract” are: moving onto basic pay for the first time and moving from “half sector pay” to “full sector pay”. Typically the point at which this was due to occur is put forward in some way, e.g. a payment expect after Base Check is not due until “after your Line Check”, or after the Line Check becomes “at the end of your first year”.

From time to time a not insubstantial number of pilots have found themselves “employed” by Ryanair, or one of its intermediate employment surrogates, in circumstances where they go without any form of salary for long periods (the longest period so far reported to REPA exceeds 8 months). The normal trigger for this state of affairs is a delay in the training process, most frequently a training bottleneck or a lack of instructional resources. Ryanair are careful to ensure that non-productive trainees are not entitled to pay and the consequences have led to particularly difficult circumstances for many pilots. Those most prone to such difficulties are those without a type rating or a current licence, especially “cadets” (very low time F/Os) and others having poor job prospects elsewhere.

Bonding arrangements have resulted in substantial deductions from the final pay cheque(s) on leaving the airline. While many observers note that such un-agreed deductions are probably illegal, this does not seem to be a consideration for Ryanair, which tends to deduct first and worry about any consequences afterwards. Attempts to seek legal redress inevitably carry the risk that rapidly escalating legal costs will quickly ensue (for example, by adding a counter-claim for the cost of employing a “contractor” to replace the departing pilot).